The Outsiders: Revised Edition
by Confused Interests
Summary: A repost, only this time put into chapters. Maddy Cade follows her twin brother, Johnny, and their best friend Ponyboy, in the adventures of the book.
1. Prologue

**I DO NOT OWN THE OUTSIDERS! S.E. HINTON DOES! I ONLY OWN WHAT YOU DON'T RECOGNIZE!**

Though many people remember the tale my best friend, Ponyboy Curtis, wrote about Johnny Cade and Dallas Winston, no one realizes that Pony left out a very important character: me. Pony swears he did this to protect me, but I don't believe him. So, I'm here to tell my side of the story, but first let me introduce myself. My name is Maddy Cade and I am Johnny Cade's twin sister.

If you know what my brother looked like, then you know what I look like (except for the obvious). We're the same height, about the same weight, and, if it wasn't for the fact that my hair is blacker than Johnny's and past my shoulders, we'd look identical from the back. Pony tells me that we both had a scared puppy look in our eyes. I don't think that's a good thing; although if you lived in our house, you'd understand why.

I'm sure you heard that all greaser girls wear too tight clothing and too much makeup. Well, not all of them. Once again, Pony says he was protecting me. I wear blue jeans, tennis shoes, t-shirts. If it wasn't for my long hair, I would look like a boy. It was just easier for me and Johnny to share things like jeans, t-shirts, even shoes. We both had blue jean jackets (the only jackets we had). Girls' clothes are so expensive and we had no money.

I'm sure that you have read Pony's version of the story of my brother and Dally. And I'm not saying that Ponyboy is wrong; he did a very good job telling Johnny's story. I'm just here to add some insight, another perspective to these events.


	2. Chapter 1

**I DO NOT OWN THE OUTSIDERS! S.E. HINTON DOES! I ONLY OWN WHAT YOU DON'T RECOGNIZE!**

Though Ponyboy began with his own almost mugging, I'm beginning about four months earlier, when Johnny got jumped. I was with him, like I usually was. (We're the type of twins that stick together.) I was helping him find the football so he could practice his field goals when I heard it: the blue mustang that would change our lives.

Four Socs jumped out and surrounded us. Johnny pushed me behind him and stammered for them to watch their backs; they were in our territory. They laughed and the one with the rings started threatening us. I could tell by the way Johnny was shaking that he was just as scared as I was. The leader, the guy with the rings, threw the first punch; he hit Johnny on the cheekbone so hard I thought he'd broken it. Then, one of the guys behind me separated me from Johnny and started removing my clothes, including my jacket that Steve and Soda found later. While they beat both of us Cade siblings up, they diminished our self-esteem from almost nothing to absolutely nothing. Coming from our home, it was easy to feel bad about yourself, but those Socs always made me feel dirty.

We were very protective of each other after that, even more so than usual. After what the Socs did to me, I didn't talk unless it was just me and Johnny, or me, Johnny and Ponyboy. Being like my brother in the quiet factor, the others didn't notice much of a change in me. But Johnny and Pony sure did.


	3. Chapter 2

**I DO NOT OWN THE OUTSIDERS! S.E. HINTON DOES! I ONLY OWN WHAT YOU DON'T RECOGNIZE!**

When Ponyboy and Johnny went to the Nightly Double to see a movie with Dallas, I went too. Mostly because I didn't want to go home. When we got to our seats, Dally started embarrassing the Soc girls in front of us, saying dirty things. He knew I was there but I guess he forgot I even existed because I wouldn't talk around him. (He'd never say it, but it bugged him something awful.) Johnny went to get us both a coke, but whispered to me to keep Dallas in line. Dally would listen to me or Johnny. It's because we were the gang pets.

Dally kept getting dirtier and dirtier. When Johnny came back and handed me my coke, I thought Pony's ears could match a stop sign. The Soc Dally was embarrassing told him to get lost. Dally left, fuming. She introduced herself to Pony and they apparently went to the same school. Cherry, the Soc, and Pony got to talking about whatever dreamers talk about. Johnny, the other Soc, and me tried to watch the movie. Dallas came back, handed each Soc a coke, and sat next to Cherry. Cherry grabbed the coke and splashed it in his face. She told him to act decent. Dallas must have really forgotten I was there, because he started to repeat what the Socs' had done to me that day four months previous.

I shut my eyes and heard Johnny, "Leave her alone, Dally." My eyes snapped open. Johnny? Stand up to Dallas? I know that Johnny worshipped the ground Dally walked on, but it meant a lot that Johnny would stand up to him. Dally looked just as surprised as I was. He stomped off, looking to get into trouble.

Cherry thanked Johnny and the other Soc, Marcia, asked for Johnny and Pony to sit with them, to "protect" them. Johnny sat by Cherry, and Pony sat between the Socs. Johnny looked back at me and our "twin-sense", as I called it, kicked in. Though he didn't say anything, I could hear him say, "Come on, Maddy, sit up here with me." They say that twins have a telepathic connection. Ours sure came in handy.

I nodded at him and made to sit by him. Both Soc girls gave me weird glances, but Ponyboy paid me no mind. Being really tired, I put my head on Johnny's shoulder to take a nap. I heard Cherry ask Pony if I was Johnny's girlfriend. I almost joined in with Pony's surprised laughter. But, before I could hear what he told her, I dozed off.

I started to have a nightmare. I was back in the vacant lot, but Johnny wasn't with me. That's when I knew something was wrong. It got even worse when the mustang pulled up and ten Socs got out (physically impossible, but hey, it's a nightmare!). They circled me, as I was frozen in fear. Then, one reached out and … I was jerked out of my dream by someone grabbing me and saying, "Okay, greasers, you've had it."

I grabbed Johnny as I was shaking so hard I could barely see straight. Someone tapped my shoulder to get my attention, but I just meeped. Then I heard Two-Bit, "Jeez, Maddy, Johnny, I'm sorry. I forgot." I swear that boy is so scatterbrained. I gave Two-Bit a weak smile as Pony and Cherry went to get popcorn. I didn't want any, so I laid my head on Johnny's shoulder again; though I knew I wouldn't sleep. That dream was too fresh in my mind.

The movie didn't last long after that. Grudgingly, I walked with Johnnycakes, Two-Bit and Pony to take the Socs home. Any girl walking home after dark is not a good idea.


	4. Chapter 3

**I DO NOT OWN THE OUTSIDERS! S.E. HINTON DOES! I ONLY OWN WHAT YOU DO NOT RECOGNIZE!**

Two-Bit and Marcia were in their own world, and so were Ponyboy and Cherry. Johnny and I just walked behind Pony and kicked a rock between us. I heard a car and I turned to look at it. It was a blue mustang. I knew the others saw it but I just meeped again and moved closer to Johnny. It drove on and I felt I could breathe again.

We continued to walk towards Two-Bit's car. Cherry asked Pony about Darry. Pony gave her some description that lacked Darry's immense love of Pony and added some horse manure about Darry wanting to put him in a boys' home. Johnny tried to tell him how great he had it at home, and I could only nod in agreement. Compared to us, Pony lived in a palace. Ponyboy snapped. "And you can shut your trap, Maddy and Johnny Cade, cause we all know you ain't wanted at home either. And you can't blame them."

My eyes got wide and started to water. Did Ponyboy Michael Curtis actually just say that? Tears poured out of my eyes as Pony wrapped his arms around me and apologized profusely. I wiped my eyes and stood next to Johnny. Everyone else's backs were facing the car that pulled up behind us but I saw it first. The mustang had returned.

Johnny must've noticed the scared look in my eyes and pulled me to him, then looked to see why I was scared. His eyes got wide and we turned our backs to the car.

Throughout the whole argument between Cherry and the Socs, I tried to remember how to breathe. I knew that Johnny recognized them too, but thankfully they didn't recognize us. Thank goodness those Socs were hammered.

There was an almost fight between Two-Bit, Pony and the Socs, so Johnny moved us behind Two-Bit and Ponyboy. Two-Bit had his stolen switchblade pointed towards the Socs and Ponyboy had a broken bottle. I really hoped that it wouldn't come to a fight. For a greaser, I hated fights, even skin-on-skin. There's still too great a risk that someone could get killed.

The girls went with the drunken fools and the rest of us headed home. We got right in front of mine and Johnny's house. I heard screaming coming from it, with a vocabulary even a hood would be embarrassed of. That's Mommy-dearest for you.

Ponyboy, Johnny and me headed to the vacant lot. Pony knew it killed us when our parents fought. Johnny and I would just spend the night in the lot, or, if Johnny woke up and saw me shivering, we would go to Pony's house. Darry practically gave me Soda's old bed. It was just sitting in Soda's old room, being unloved, since Soda and Pony share a bed now. So Johnny would move us to the Curtis house if we got too cold. I love my brother.

I was shaken out of my thoughts when I heard Johnny say, "I'll kill myself or something."

He'd said stuff like that before, but he'd never sounded so serious. The thought of a day, or even a second, without the person who came into this world with me, was unthinkable. My eyes watered over and a few tears spilled down my cheeks. We never even figured out who was the older twin; like we'd ever bother to ask our mother. I had always pictured us as old people together.

After my little rampage in my head (apparently I day-dream a lot), I heard Pony talk about the country. It sounded nice. No gangs, no hoods, no perverted Socs. Just open air and a clear blue sky.


	5. Chapter 4

**I DO NOT OWN THE OUTSIDERS! S.E. HINTON DOES! I ONLY OWN WHAT YOU DON'T RECOGNIZE!**

Next thing I know, something grabbed me by the sleeve and started running. I guess I fell asleep. I looked at who grabbed me and saw Pony's tear-stained face. Oh, no. Something happened with Darry. I always could tell. I just found Johnny's hand and pulled him with us.

We ran a few blocks before Pony explained. Darry, in the middle of an argument, had hit Ponyboy across the face; Pony couldn't take it and ran. Johnny spoke for both of us when he told Pony how, if our dad's hitting us, we're kinda glad, because then he knows who we are. Johnny's throat clenched because I knew it killed him to not have caring folks, but it killed him even more to see Daddy hit me. The same was true of me. Johnny knew all I ever wanted to be was a Daddy's little girl.

We walked to the park, giving Pony time to cool off enough to go home. When we got to the park, my heart stopped. The blue mustang was there, with five very drunk Socs standing around it. The same Socs from the movies…and the same from four months ago.

They eyed me hungrily, and it made me squirm. It was unnerving to have those guys look at me like I was something to eat. The Soc that gave Johnny his scar started to insult us. It seemed like déjà vu or something. I would soon be proven very wrong.

Pony said something that got the Socs mad enough to chase us. Johnny told me to go home, but I couldn't leave him. I tripped and fell in the mud. One Soc jumped on me while the others went after my brother and Pony. I could hear water splashing and realized they were trying to drown someone. I hoped Johnny remembered his switchblade.

The Soc on top of me tried to force his tongue down my throat. I threw my arms wildly, trying to get him off of me. He just slugged me and started to unbutton my jeans. I screamed and tears blurred my vision. I wasn't going to let this happen to me again.

Suddenly, the pressure was off of me and I heard footsteps running from me. The engine of the mustang purred to life and zoomed away. I was afraid to look up to see what the Socs had done to Ponyboy and my brother.

I glanced up and saw Johnny pull something out of the fountain. Wait…that looks like… Oh, Johnny you didn't! I saw Pony spread out face up next to the fountain. He didn't look conscious.

I got off the ground, buttoned my jeans, and walked slowly towards Johnny so he wouldn't think I was a Soc trying to sneak up on him. I know how he hated it. I hugged him from behind and sat him down.

He looked at me and I could tell how scared he was. For me, for Pony, for himself. For his future. I slowly took the knife from him and cleaned the blade. He was still frozen when Pony came to. Johnny told him that they were drowning him and going to beat Johnny up.

"Like they did before?" Pony asked hesitantly. He knew we didn't like talking about it.

"Yes. Like they did before." I told him. Pony looked a little shocked. Those were the first words I had spoken all night.

Johnny realized the full extent of my words. "They were going to…? Again? Oh, Maddy, I'm sorry!"

He hugged me and softly cried while Pony threw up. I told both boys that we needed to get out of town. We needed money, a gun (even though I hate them), and somewhere to go.

That's what took us to Dally and how we ended up in an old abandoned church in the country.


	6. Chapter 5

**I DO NOT OWN THE OUTSIDERS! S.E. HINTON DOES! I ONLY OWN WHAT YOU DO NOT RECOGNIZE!**

Once we got to the church, all we could think about was sleeping. We cleared through the door and laid down to catch up on our sleep. I was awakened a few hours later because of the cold, so I just snuggled closer to a source of heat that I could feel. I just went right back to sleep.

I woke up again when I felt the sun on my face. I sat up, and rubbed my eyes. I looked down to see what my pillow was, and gasped a little. It was Ponyboy! Thank goodness he was still asleep. I looked around, but didn't see Johnny anywhere. I looked on the ground for a message and, sure enough, there was a note in the dirt that said, "Went to get supplies. Be back soon. J.C."

I waited for Johnny to get back or for Pony to wake up, whichever came first. I heard the secret whistle that our gang uses with the Shepard gang. I whistled back and waited for my brother to come in. The next thing I saw was a blur of blue flannel as Pony ran to meet him. Where did he come from? Wait, when did he wake up?

Johnny came in with an excited Pony on his heels. They started unloading the box Johnny was carrying. I zoned out until I heard Pony, "No, Johnny, not my hair!" What is he…? Then I turned around and saw the bottle of peroxide. Thank goodness I'm too dark complexioned to be a blonde. Johnny said that we were going to have to cut our hair. I took the knife from him and began to cut Pony's beautiful hair before he could talk me out of it.

It wasn't too long that I finished and started cutting Johnny's hair. I put the peroxide in Pony's hair and told him to wait in the sun for about an hour. I handed Johnny the knife and waited for him to cut my hair. He was very hesitant, and I understood why. I was a girl, and he was afraid that I would hate him if my hair looked bad, plus, I was very tender headed and he didn't want to hurt me.

I reassured him that I would be fine, and he started cutting. Johnny didn't take too much off, thank goodness; otherwise we would look completely identical. Before he let me see, he caught me glancing at Pony and I blushed. Our twin-sense kicked in again. Johnny gave me a look that said, "Maddy, do you like Ponyboy?"

I blushed deeper and replied, "No, I mean, he's two years younger than me, and our best friend. I don't like him."

Johnny looked at Pony and said, "You know, I think you do. And you know that I'd be okay with it."

I just stared at my feet. I said, out loud this time, "He's still two years younger than me."

Johnny told me, out loud as well, "Age is but a number. Love knows no boundaries."

Johnny then left with the mirror before I could see myself. He walked over to where a now blonde Ponyboy sat. Pony looked at himself and then started arguing with Johnny about something. I made my way over there and then Pony finally saw me. He broke down and my eyes welled up too. Do I really look that bad?

I ran back to the backroom of the church and started to clean up. Haven't even been there a day and the boys make a mess. I wiped away Johnny's note, and started organizing a cabinet, all the while with tears running down my face. As you can probably guess, I clean when I'm upset.


	7. Chapter 6

**I DO NOT OWN THE OUTSIDERS! S.E. HINTON DOES! I ONLY OWN WHAT YOU DO NOT RECOGNIZE!**

Someone came in the church and walked up behind me. I didn't talk to whoever it was, but jumped and squealed when they hugged me. I caught glimpses of blond hair so I knew it was Ponyboy. I just started crying into his chest and I guess I fell asleep standing up because when I woke up I was laying on his chest while he was lying on Johnny's legs. I woke up and sat next to Johnny. I had finally figured out that Pony was not crying because I looked ugly; he was just crying because he was upset about the whole situation.

Johnny gave me a look that said, "Tell him." I ignored the look as I played with Pony's now bleach blond hair.

The next few days were filled with cigarette smoke, baloney sandwiches, and Gone with the Wind. I was so glad Johnny thought to get a book, especially that one. I love a good love story. We played poker and just sat around and talked for a while. I managed to dodge a question in "Truth or Dare" that Johnny asked me, by going into a coughing fit. One thing that I wished we'd remembered before we ran away was my inhaler. Johnny and I may have been twins, but I had really bad asthma and it really didn't help that I was around two smoking fiends twenty-four seven.

I woke up one morning and saw that Johnny and Pony were gone. I walked outside and saw them looking at a sunrise. It was beautiful. I heard Pony recite a poem, my favorite poem actually, by Robert Frost, called "Nothing Gold Can Stay."

I walked back inside to let them finish their conversation. I was cold and was shivering something awful. I had on both mine and Johnny's jackets and still freezing. I heard someone come inside and lay next to me. I snuggled closer to them, just wanting to be warm. I heard Johnny clear his throat. Only he was across the room. Which means my pillow was Pony.

Johnny approached Pony and started stroking my now chin length hair. I was in a half dream world, half reality phase. I heard Johnny say, "Pony, do you like my sister?"

Pony gulped and answered, "Y-yeah. I'm sorry, Johnny, I couldn't help it."

"It's alright, man. I ain't gonna hit you. I just want to tell you to take care of her, when you do ask her out. Cause she's my other half, my twin. I don't want her getting hurt." Johnny sounded so serious.

Pony told Johnny, "I won't hurt her. I think, I mean, I'm pretty sure, that …."

"Well come on, Pone, spit it out." Johnny took the words right out of my thoughts. "I think she's gonna wake up if we keep talking like this." Darn. He knew I was almost, _almost, _asleep.

"I'm in love with her." Pony whispered so that I could barely make it out.

Johnny used his twin sense to tell me that I can sleep now. I had very pleasant dreams after that.


	8. Chapter 7

**I DO NOT OWN THE OUTSIDERS! S.E. HINTON DOES! I ONLY OWN WHAT YOU DON'T RECOGNIZE!**

On the fifth day of our little camping adventure, as I liked to call it, I was bored out of my mind. I started humming random tunes and eventually I went to sit next to Ponyboy so we could both get some sleep. That seemed to be the only thing to do.

The next thing I knew, I was awakened by chattering above me. I opened one eye and saw none other than Dallas Winston, in the flesh. If I wasn't so sleepy and comfortable on my pillow I would've hugged him. I looked up and saw that a very animated Ponyboy was once again my pillow. I blushed a deep red and sat up.

Dally noticed my movement and started to make some comment about me being even thinner than usual. Johnny shot him a look and stopped him in his verbal tracks. Johnny had been having a hard time getting me to eat anything and keep it down. Baloney didn't agree with my stomach for more than a meal or two, apparently. And that's all we had to eat. Plus I had been coughing a lot recently, due to my asthma. Both guys got worried when I started coughing because we didn't have anything that would help if I had an asthma attack.

We got in Buck Merrill's T-Bird and nearly died because of Dallas' _awesome_ driving. I sat in the back with Ponyboy and thought I was going to join Johnny and Dally in the front seat. When we finally got to the Dairy Queen, I coughed a little, but gulped down my coke and boy did that help. I ate about half as much as my brother, only because I was eating slow to savor the flavors. Then when Dally started talking about the war councils and heaters, I lost my appetite.

I zoned out again and came back in when Dally turned around, ruffled my hair and said that it was a good idea to cut our hair. Then he winked at me and continued to talk to Johnny and Pony. I felt even less hungry, if that was even possible.

Johnny made me very proud, and scared, with what he said next. "We're goin' back and turn ourselves in."

I was very frightened about Johnny's future. My brother was too kindhearted to go to jail. I was also more proud of him than I've ever been. He was being very responsible about this, and he was obviously very far down on his list of people to take care of.

Next thing I heard, Johnny asked if Mom and Daddy asked where we were. Dally said that the guys were worried about us and that Two-Bit especially wanted to find us. Two-Bit loved to mess around with us.

I knew without even looking at him that Johnny had a hurt look on his face, because I had one on mine too. Even though Mom and Daddy are not fit parents, that's why Johnny and I wanted them to love us; we thought that they'd love us if we just did something different. Too bad that's not how it works.

We decided we were going back to Tulsa. I was happy to be going back, but I wondered if Pony, Johnny and I were going to be as close as we were in Windrixville. Before I could even think of Tulsa in complete detail, I was interrupted by the smell of smoke.

I looked up and saw that the church was on fire! Before I could even comprehend what I was doing, I was out of the car and in the church to rescue some kids that I heard screaming. I started passing them out a window when I looked and saw Johnny and Pony with me, helping me.

I passed the last kid out the window to Dally when I started to cough. Oh, no. Not now! I was being picked up and passed out the window to Dally, when I heard Johnny scream for help. I tried to go get him, but Pony was pulled out the window next and when I stood up, I passed out.


	9. Chapter 8

**I DO NOT OWN THE OUTSIDERS! S.E. HINTON DOES! I ONLY OWN WHAT YOU DON'T RECOGNIZE!**

I started to wake up in what appeared to be an ambulance. I looked to my left and right and gasped. On my right was Johnny, only, it was a burned and barely breathing version of my brother. I started to cry, which caused me to cough. One of the EMTs asked me if I was ok. I shook my head no, and in between coughs told him that I needed my albuterol. He handed me some that was in the ambulance and I thanked him.

When we arrived at the hospital, I tried to go with Johnny but the nurses wouldn't let me. I saw Pony in the waiting room and ran to him. I hugged him tight as I started to cry again. I told him that Johnny didn't look too good and that I was scared to be by myself. He told me that I could stay with him. I did, until I saw Darry and Soda come in. I hugged the other Curtis brothers, but then I went to Johnny's room to stay. I had slept near Johnny every night of my life; I didn't think that I could if he wasn't near.

I looked at Johnny and started to talk to him. About anything and everything, or nothing at all. I just had to talk to him to let him know that I was there. He whispered that he broke his back, and he'd never be able to walk again. I just smoothed his hair back and told him that I'd never let him be stuck in our house. I fell asleep in the chair next to his bed and had a very restless sleep. I kept waking up with pain in my back. Another twin connection I found out: feeling the other's pain.

I mentioned this to Johnny when he was awake. He looked horrified, and I knew he didn't want me to be hurt. I spent all day in the hospital with him, no matter how much he urged me to go ask Pony on a date. I didn't want to leave Johnny, plus I knew that Pony would ask me when he was ready.

Two-Bit and Pony came by, and Johnny passed out when they were leaving. I don't blame him though; the nurse told him Mom was here. I could hear Two-Bit yelling at her in the hallway.

By nighttime I knew Johnny was getting worse. He could barely stay awake. I knew he was dying, and I braced myself for it. He told me he loved me, and that I shouldn't cry for too long or he'd have to haunt my dreams for it. That's my brother with his weird sense of humor.

Pony and Dally came bursting in, looking like they've both been run through the mill. Dally mentioned something about winning a rumble and Johnny spoke my thoughts in his weak voice: it was useless. He told me and Pony to stay gold, and I think I knew what he meant by it. He drifted off to sleep, and didn't wake up. Dally ran away, while I silently cried. I leant over and kissed my twin brother, Johnny Cade, on the cheek for the last time.


	10. Chapter 9

**I DO NOT OWN THE OUTSIDERS! S.E. HINTON DOES! I ONLY OWN WHAT YOU DON'T RECOGNIZE! **

I let Pony use me as a crutch as we walked back to his house. A man was kind enough to give us a ride to Pony's house, with Pony bleeding and all. We walked inside and I saw everyone there, but my brother and Dallas, lounging around. Darry looked up when we came inside and immediately knew something was wrong. I'm sure Two-Bit and Pony told him that I didn't want to leave the hospital without Johnny.

Ponyboy told everyone that Johnny died, and surprisingly, I didn't cry. Maybe it's because I knew Johnny was happy where he was. Then, everyone rushed out of the house; I completely missed why. I just sat on the sofa, thinking about my brother.

I even thought I saw him in the Curtis kitchen, drinking a coke. He looked at me and smiled, but then grimaced. My twin sense kicked in; "What's wrong Johnny?"

"Ponyboy. He's convinced himself that I'm not dead. He'll have a hard life these next few weeks. Can you stay here to take care of him please?" Johnny gave me his sad smile as I nodded my head.

"Wait, Johnny?" He nodded. "Are… are Mr. and Mrs. Curtis there?" He looked to his left and smiled.  
"Yep. And they're gonna watch out for you all too." I smiled. The Curtis' always were like real parents to me.

"Okay." I smiled and suddenly, Dally appeared next to Johnny. "Dally? Not you too!"

"It's alright, Maddy. I'm finally happy. I think I'm gonna go see if there are any cute broads here." And with that, Dally left.

I shook my head. "Johnny, you better look after him. I don't want him getting kicked out of heaven."

"Alright, sis. I love you." I signed 'I love you' to him. See, when I was little, it took me forever to learn to talk. So Mrs. Curtis taught me and all the boys how to sign simple stuff. I knew Johnny was remembering that as he walked towards heaven.

The boys came back inside then: Darry carrying Ponyboy, who was unconscious, Soda had tears running down his face and was supporting Steve who was crying too, and then there was Two-Bit, who just looked shocked. I cleared off the couch and ran into Pony and Soda's room to clear off the bed so that Darry could put Pony down.

Two-Bit was just staring blankly at the TV when I went back in the front room. I sat next to him and put my arms around him. He hugged me back and attempted to make a lame joke about something completely irrelevant. I went into the kitchen to get a rag to wipe Pony's head with. I promised my brother and I keep my promises.

I walked into Pony and Soda's room to find Sodapop looking terrified. I've never seen him like that, ever. I walked over to Ponyboy and started wiping his feverish forehead. Soda still looked scared to death. I told him to go lie down and that I'll stay with Pony tonight. He nodded slightly, but paused at the door. I shooed him away with my hand.


	11. Chapter 10

**I DO NOT OWN THE OUTSIDERS! S.E. HINTON DOES! I ONLY OWN WHAT YOU DON'T RECOGNIZE!**

That night, I didn't sleep at all. Not because Pony kept me awake, but because I was afraid to sleep without Johnny near. Silly, I know, but it still scared me something awful. At one point during the night, I heard Ponyboy start to whimper, and I felt his head. He was dripping in cold sweat. _That's good_, I thought. _At least his fever's breaking._ The next thing I knew, he was scooting closer to me. Oh, now I remember. In Windrixville, I heard him tell Johnny about this horrible nightmare that makes him break out in a cold sweat. He must be dreaming.

I started to comb my hands through his hair and I slowly hummed a soft lullaby I had picked up somewhere. I heard Pony mumble something in his sleep. I bent closer to him so I could hear him better and it sounded like he said, "I love you."

I blushed and continued to play with his hair until I heard someone move around in the rest of the house to tell me that its morning. I heard someone in the kitchen so I went to see who it was. It was Darry.

I walked over to him and said, "Hey, Darry. I think Pony's a little better. His fever broke sometime during the night, but I think it came back."

Darry looked at me like I was the face of an angel. "Thanks Maddy. So, uh, how did you sleep?"

"I, um, didn't." I looked down at my shoes as I knew Darry would begin to act like the parent I never had.

"Maddy, that's not good for your health and you know it. I want you to go in Soda's room right now, kick him outta bed, and lie down. He's gonna be late for work anyways."

I nodded, but just went back to Pony's room. I made a bed on the floor next to his bed, and went to sleep. I woke up and saw that I was in Pony's bed, with his arms wrapped tightly around me. _How did I get here?_ Just as I finally comprehended where I was, Soda came in with two bowls of soup.

"Hey, Sodapop. Um, quick question: how did I get here?"

Soda replied, "Well, you looked uncomfortable on the floor, and Pony kept saying your name and you kept saying his. I just thought I'd put you both together."

I blushed and told him, "Thanks for the soup."

He sat on the bed with me. "Yeah, Two-Bit mentioned how skinny you where when he saw you at the hospital. I thought you might like something other than baloney."

I didn't say anything and tried to eat my soup. Soda mentioned that they put us both in the hospital for a while, because we weren't waking up. Apparently I was malnourished and exhausted. I don't know what was wrong with Ponyboy. All I knew was that I wanted him to be himself again.

Soda helped me wiggle out of Pony's stone-like grip and I looked down at my clothes. If what Soda said was true, I had been wearing these clothes for over a week. Ew.

"Hey, Soda, can I borrow some clothes? I don't really wanna go home right now."

"Sure. Here's some of Ponyboy's stuff. Pick what you like. If you want you can take a shower too."

I thanked him and just grabbed a shirt and some pants. I went into the bathroom, locked it, and got in the shower. It felt heavenly. After I cleaned up, I got out and walked to the mirror. I cleared some of the steam away and finally looked at myself. My hair was chin length and brutally cut. I didn't want to get a haircut, because my brother cut my hair and I wanted to remember him as long as I could. (Though I knew I would never forget him. How could I? He was my twin!) My face was gaunt and pale. I was starting to scare myself so I just dried off and put on Pony's clothes.

I walked back into Pony's room to find him awake and speaking coherently. I smiled at him and sat next to him on his bed. He looked at me and blurted out, "I love you, Maddy Cade!"

I blushed and told him, "I love you too, Ponyboy Michael Curtis!"

His blush got even deeper as he asked me to be his girl. I told him yes and just hugged him. It would be a long time before I felt ready to kiss him.


	12. Epilogue

**I DO NOT OWN THE OUTSIDERS! S.E. HINTON DOES! I ONLY OWN WHAT YOU DON'T RECOGNIZE!**

After everything cooled down with Pony, and after he wrote "The Outsiders" to make up for missing so much school, I talked Darry into letting me stay with them permanently. I finished school, and got a job working at the DX with Soda and Steve until I could find another one. Pony finished school, one year after me, and went on to college. I was so proud of him.

After his college graduation, he pulled me aside and asked me to marry him. It was one of the happiest days of my life. I told him yes and our wedding was scheduled for the following week. I know it was a rush, but we didn't do anything special: just us and Darry and Soda, the witnesses in front of a justice of the peace. Plus I had been in love with the boy since I was around twelve or thirteen.

We found out a year later that I was expecting twin boys. Pony's eyes sparkled when I told him. When the twins were born, we named them Johnny Darrel Curtis and Dallas Patrick Curtis (Dallas was the oldest). One night, I held both boys in my arms and sat in the rocking chair that Pony's mother used to rock him to sleep. I started thinking about Johnny and happy tears fell from my eyes.

Pony came up to me, hugged me from behind and kissed Johnny and Dallas' heads. He asked what I was thinking of. I told him, "I'm just wondering whether Johnny was the older twin, or if I was." I smiled and could have sworn I saw my brother, Johnny Cade, and Dallas Winston outside our window each smoking a cigarette. I sighed and thought, _isn't life great?_

**WELL, THIS IS THE END. I HOPE YOU ENJOYED IT. PLEASE CHECK OUT MY OTHER STORY THAT IS COMPLETE, ENTITLED 'MY VERSE', BASED ON THE DEAD POETS SOCIETY.**


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